The 1-1 draw at London Stadium is a reminder that not all of Manchester United's problems can be solved just by changing coaches.
First of all, the positive points. Substitute player Benjamin Sesko launched a great finish in the 90+6 minute, helping Michael Carrick extend his unbeaten streak since taking over the team. That was a dramatic ending that would surely make Sir Alex Ferguson nod, and it was enough for Man United fans to return to Manchester in the rain from London with excitement.
Carrick may also be satisfied when West Ham almost did not create any significant chances except for Tomas Soucek's opening goal right after halftime. However, the old problems are still there.
West Ham, the team that is having to cherish every point in the bottom group, proactively retreated deep and gave up ball control. Man United held the ball nearly 65% but only had 3 shots on target. Luckily for Carrick, the final equalizer still came in an impromptu way that once helped Sesko be considered one of the bright young talents before arriving at Old Trafford in the summer of 2025.
That was a beautiful goal, but not enough to bring home the fifth consecutive victory. And the suffering of a fan about waiting to cut his hair to celebrate a perfect winning streak is still prolonged.
Honestly, the emotions were mixed. We knew we hadn't played our best and had to praise West Ham. We could have played better.
The players are disappointed and bored with it, and that is a very good sign for me. Scoring late when needed is a positive moment, showing that we can do it" - Carrick said after the match.
A away point is not a bad result, especially after 4 consecutive wins, but this draw exposes Man United's familiar weakness when facing a dense defense. And that is not a new story under Carrick.
It can be argued that Carrick's job is even more difficult because of the squad he took over. Because Ruben Amorim's 3-4-3 formation does not need to run on the wings, Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Antony are all allowed to leave. In a match where winger speed could be the key to stretching the well-organized defense system, Carrick did not have many corresponding options on the bench and was forced to find an equalizer in another way. At least, he dared to try.
Amorim was once criticized for being too safe in attack, while Carrick showed that he was ready to bet. Sesko was brought onto the field when there were about 20 minutes left, and when that change did not create an immediate effect, Carrick continued to withdraw a defender, Diogo Dalot, to bring in striker Joshua Zirkzee.
That decision may backfire, but Leny Yoro saved the "Red Devils" with two excellent interventions at the end of the match, when West Ham threatened to score a second goal from counter-attacks.
In the end, Sesko became the hero with a late goal - Man United's third goal from the 87th minute onwards since Carrick took over, after goals that helped them defeat Arsenal and Fulham.
Taking risks and getting rewards is always valuable. To praise Leny Yoro. His two counter-attacking situations were extremely important, so he deserves to be recognized for creating conditions for us to score. We have to try our best and try to win something" - Carrick added.
Late goals and dramatic victories in big matches made the first month under Carrick volatile. With 12 days off before the next match against Everton, he finally had a moment of silence to breathe. Carrick also admitted that players need that.
This is an opportunity to refresh the squad. Some players have small and stressful problems that we can handle. Then, we can do better.
They need some time to rest, look back at the situation, breathe deeply and return stronger. We will make the most of this time" - the Man United captain shared.
